Making Windows

[AndyBoyd]

I am in the process of buying a house in France, and I will slowly renovate it, doing and learning to do all but the structural jobs myself.

I am beginning to think about the windows. They are typical French (both sides open inwards to the house with 3 pieces of glass each side, behind shutters so quite protected.)

I was wondering how best to make windows?

Are there modern window profile cutters for spindle moulder/shapers (I don't have a shaper but could buy a second hand one for this job, I have used one a few times)? Or is there a pattern I can make on the table saw/router table? (I have planers, thicknesser etc etc)

Can you buy all the modern hinges seals and fittings that are found in the modern tilt and open windows?

Is there a good instructional site/book/video on the building techniques

Thanks for any help received in advance

 

[dzj]

"Can you buy all the modern hinges seals and fittings that are found in the modern tilt and open windows?"

Yes, Roto sells them, they also provide the cross-sections of the frame and sash.

In theory, you can make them without a shaper and a set of cutters. But it's tedious.
It might be cheaper to buy the windows than to acquire all the necessary tools, machines...

 

[custard]

If you want to do it all yourself for reasons of personal satisfaction then go ahead.

If your motivation is to do the job economically then forget about making your own joinery, especially if it's reasonably standard (and you describe the windows as "typical" and "modern"). You'd struggle to source the timber for the price of finished items, and tooling costs are prohibitive. I'm talking to joinery companies who are lamenting the fact that their suites of Martin T27's are no longer competitive and they need to invest in CNC set ups, and these aren't national suppliers but local companies doing a lot of custom made work.

 

[RobinBHM]

Open in French windows are quite different from the open out casements common in the UK so I doubt if you will find any information easily from website from UK companies. Certainly some of the larger joinery manufacturers do a tilt and turn range, but frame and sash sections are complex and are ironmongery specific.

It is possible to make simple casement windows with just a pair of profile cutters, a rebate block and a groover but without scribe cutters or a tenoner all the joints will need cutting by hand and even such minimum tooling will cost quite a bit. There are companies like reddiseals, quest, coastal, whitehill that will give you some ideas on tooling, ironmongery and weathseals.

 

[Jacob]

Trad French windows (plus shutters) are very well thought out, elegant and functional.
It'd be a mistake to do anything other than copying them exactly, particularly if you are anywhere southish as inward opening windows with external shutters are brilliant in hot weather.

 

[AndyBoyd]

My motivation is just to do it myself, I'm under no illusions over any cost savings here,

yes I will copy what we have in the house already but with modern locks and seals etc, plus triple glazing (The house in the Chartreuse Mountains)

thanks for all the tips everyone much appreciated and using search in this form I see some impressive how to stories posted over the last few years